It is possible that the boot is a contributing factor, as is the duration and intensity of the premiership season and condition of the pitches .
Modern lightweight boots have been blamed by some experts for the spate of metatarsal injuries, which used to be relatively rare. “They are not offering the protection they once did,” said Exeter University’s Sharon Dixon, an expert on the biomechanical aspects of sports injuries. Adidas tweaked the design of its Predator boot in 2004 to provide better cushioning at the front of the foot and give the metatarsals more protection.